Drill and reamer for deep wells.



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v PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

P. HIGGINS.

DRILL AND REAMER EUR DEEP WELLS.

PPLIGATIO A 1 o UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

DRILL AND REAMER FOR DEEP WELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,327, dated September 8, 1903-.

Application filed January 3, 1903. Serial No. 137,709. (No model.)

Be it known that I, PATTILLO HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaumont, in the county of Jeerson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drills and Reamers for Deep Wells, of which the following is a specification..

This invention provides a boring-tool for sinking deep wells to obtain water, oil, or gas, the purpose being to insure straight drilling and the formation of a smooth bore, the latter being essential to facilitate casing the well when required.

The invention consists of atool combining a drill-point and a reamer, the point penetrating the formation and the reamer following and rendering the sides of the bore smooth and in conjunction with the body directing the drill in a straight or true course.

The invention -further consists of a drillbody and drill-points and reamer-bits detachably fitted thereto to admit of replacement or interchangeability, as required.

The invention also further consists of the structural details, novel features, and combinations of parts which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, claimed, andillustrated in the drawings hereto attached, in

which- Figure l is a side view of a boring-tool constructed in accordance with and embodying the salient features of the invention. Fig.A 2 is a vertical central section thereof on a larger scale, the intermediate portion of the drillbody being broken away. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification, the drill-body being provided with a series of bits. Fig. 4 is a section about on the line X X of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on the line Y Y of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a drillpoint having a chisel cutter. Fig. 7 is an end view of the drill-point shown in Fig. 6. Fig. Sis a perspective view of a drill-point having a flat end. Fig. 9 is an end view of the drillpoint shown in Fig. 8. Fig. lO is a perspective view of a drill-point having a series of chisel cutters. Fig. 1l is an end view of the drill-point shown in Fig. l0.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the Views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

While the drill is especially designed for use in connection with well-boring machinery of the cable type, it is to be understood that the drill may be operated in any accustomed way. In accordance with this inventionthe drillbody l is above the average length and is of a diameter approximating the bore of the Well being drilled, so as to direct the drill in a true and straight course and obviate lateral deflection Yfrom any cause. The lower end of the drill-body is provided with a reamer designed chiefly to remove jagged edges and projecting parts in the wake of the drill-point, thereby providinglsmooth sides to the walls of the well as the latter deepens. The reamer may be a single cutter, as shown at 2, or a series of cutters orbits 3, as shown in Fig. 3. The cutter 2 is preferably separate from the drill-body, so as to be replaced when worn, and is fitted to the reduced end 4. of the drill-body and is confined on saidreduced portion by means of the drillpoint. The reamer 2 is slightly larger in diameter than the drill-body, so as to prevent binding of the latter in the opening and provide sufficient clearance for the escape of water as the drill descends. tion of the reamer tapers slightly, se as to prevent the formation of a shoulder between the body of the drill and the reamer. This construction is applied to both forms of the tool, whether the rearner is composed of a single element or a number of elements. The reduced portion l of the drill-body terminates in a threaded stem 5, adapted to receive the drill-point, which serves to confine the reamer betweenv its upper end and the shoulder formed at the base of the part 4E, as indicated most clearly in Figs. 2'and 3. The drill is adapted to be operated in the usual way,being reciprocated vertically in the opening or bore. As heretofore intimated, the drill is designed most especially for operation by means of cable drilling machinery, the cable (not shown) being attached to the drill-stem 6 in `the accustomed way and the drill-body being connected to said drill-stem by means of a screw-thread connection 7. The upper portion of the drill-body is reduced and made an- The upper por' ICO guiar, as shown at 8, to receive a wrench or tool when making the joint either between the drill body and stem r drill-point and drillbody. Channels or grooves 9 are formed in opposite sides of the drill-body 1 to admit of the water passing upward from the bottom of the opening as the drill descends.

The drill-point 10 is provided at its upper end with an internally-threaded opening corresponding to the threaded stem 5 at the lower end of the drill-body to admit of coupling and uncoupling as desired. The upper portion ofthe drill-point is reduced and made angular, as shown at 1l, to receive a wrench orlike tool to facilitate the turning of the drillpoint when tightening or loosening. The lower end of the drill-point may be flat, as shown in Fig. 9, or provided with a chisel cutter 12, as indicated in Figs. l, 3, 6, and 7, or may comprise a plurality of chisel cutters 13, as indicated in Figs. and 11. Channels 1 4 are provided in opposite sides of the drillpoint for substantially the same purpose as the channels9, and when the drill-point is tightened and in operative position the channels 14 occupy a positionabout at a right angle to the channels 9 as indicated most clearly in Fig. 1. The upper portion of the drill-point is preferably smaller than the cutting end,l

and the sides adjacent to the cutting portion are upwardly converged, so as to admit of the drill moving freely in an upward direction.

The reamer or bit 2 and 3 is provided in opposite sides with channels 15 corresponding to the channel 9 of the drill-body, and in order to hold the channels 9 and 15 in alinement interlocking means are provided between the reamer and drill-body, the same consisting in the present instance of a dowel 16, which may be of any type of construction. In the construction embodying a plurality of bits in the formation of a reamer said bits vary in diameter and have a progressive arrangement, the bits decreasing in diameter from the drill-body toward the drill-point, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3, the series of cutting edges thus serving to break up large particles separated by the drill-point. The

- topmost bit is slightly larger in diameter than the drill-body, whereas the bit next in order approximates the diameter of the drill-body,

the upper two bits-being-provided with sideA channels 15, held in alinement by the interlocking means or dowels 16, interposed between them. v

It is highly important that the drill-body l be comparatively long and of a diameter approximating that of the opening, so as to insure a straight bore being formed, the drill being further directed in a true course by the combined action ofvthe drill-point and reamer and the latter further serving to render the sides or walls of the opening or bore smooth.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A drill 'for deep wells comprising a drillbody circular in cross-section and having vertical channels in its sides, an annular cutter at the lower end of the drill-body having channels in its sides in line with the channels of the drill-body, and a drill-point detachably tted to the lower end of the drill-body and of a diameter approximating the drill-body, substantially as described.

2. A drill for deep wells comprising a body having vertical channels in its sides, a drillpoint, a reamer intermediate of the drill point and body and having channels in its sides in line with the channelsin the sides of the drillbody, and interlocking means between the reamer and drill-body, substantially as set forth.

3. A drill for deep wells comprising a body having its lower end reduced, a reamer fitted upon the reduced end of the drill-body, and a drill-point tted to the lower end of the drill-body and adapted to coniue the reamer upon the reduced part thereof, substantially as described.

4. A drill for deep wells comprisinga body having an end portion reduced, a series of bits applied to the reduced portion of the drillbody, and a drill-point fitted to the reduced portion of the drill-body for confining the series of bits thereon, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PATTILLO HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE G. WATT, GENEVIEVE MATTHEWS. 

